A spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most difficult and complex traumas the human body can sustain. In the US, it is estimated that there are 10,000-12,000 new SCIs each year and that some 250,000 Americans are currently living with SCI. In addition, the cost of treatment and aftercare for sufferers is phenomenal: estimates suggest that the average lifetime costs directly attributable to SCI for an individual injured at age 25 range from US$0.6 to US$2.8 M. In this feature, we investigate the therapies that are available for people with SCI, why this is such a developing field and what the future holds for this relatively small but vital market sector.